2024 German Darts Championship R1 Preview

Now, it is time for James Punt’s 2024 German Darts Championship R1 preview. James has already posted his outright preview, you can see that here. His tips for both of today’s sessions are below.

Johan Engstrom vs. Andrew Gilding

The Swede has not played any PDC darts since we last saw him playing in World Series 4, where he beat Peter Wright 6-5, before going down 1-6 to Luke Humphries. He averaged 92.96 and 94.47 respectively. That was back in June, so it is hardly current form.

Engstrom has won two Nordic Baltic tour titles in 2024. He has played in one Euro Tour event this season, beating Joe Cullen 6-1, averaging 99.14, before losing 1-6 to MVG, averaging 92.07. Clearly, he is able to raise his game against the more established PDC pros.

Andrew Gilding has won five of his last ten matches, but his last seven saw a highest average of 92.13 and three sub 90s. Clearly, Gilding is the more accomplished, experienced player, but his most recent form makes him vulnerable, if Engstrom brings his A game.

Gilding is the 1.44 favourite, Engstrom 3.20. Gilding has played in seven Euro Tour events in 2024, and of his first round matches, he has lost four. He has generally been slow out of the blocks, averaging over 91 in just one of those matches and four sub 90s. It is not impossible to envisage Engstrom making the second round, or at least giving Gilding a game.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: 1 point Johan Engstrom to win +2.5 legs @ 1.73 with Betfred

Steve Beaton vs. Dylan Slevin

Steve Beaton has made his first Euro Tour event of the year, and the last in his career. He will be retiring from the tour at the end of the season and would no doubt like to go out with as big a flourish as possible. He showed some decent form to reach the semi-final of PC18 last week. Beaton lost his following three matches, two in qualifying events, so he has won five and then lost four.

Slevin got a late call up for this event, his third Euro Tour event of the year. He has lost one and won one of his previous two first round matches. His most recent form sees six losses from his last ten matches. He has not been scoring well and there is very little between the two players form wise.

Steve Beaton is the 1.65 favourite, Slevin 2.38. The odds on Beaton look a bit short, but Slevin doesn’t inspire much confidence. On balance, I will leave one alone. No bet.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: No bet

Brendan Dolan vs. Dirk van Duijvenbode

Dirk would seem to be heading the right way, hitting some big averages. He has won seven of his last ten matches, hit four ton plus averages and only one sub 94. Dolan has lost his last five in a row and in his last ten, hit seven sub 90 averages.

Their H2H record is 5-4 to Dolan. All but two of those matches were pre 2020 and their last two in 2022 and 2023, it is 1-1. It could be that Dirk does not enjoy Dolan’s slower pace of play.

Van Duijvenbode is only 37th in the Euro Tour OOM. That means he needs to pick up at least five grand to scrap into the finals. He will play in the final three events, so this is not quite the last chance saloon, but every win is vital.

If Dirk can locate his scoring boots, he could win by a decent margin, given that Dolan has been under par recently, but Dirk could be under more pressure, knowing that the win is important, so he could get a bit tight.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: 1 point Dirk van Duijvenbode to win -1.5 legs @ 2.00 with Betfred, Skybet

Evening Session

Ritchie Edhouse vs. Luke Woodhouse

Both players have won six of their last ten matches, but both have come off the boil after showing good form not so long ago. Both are safely inside the cut off point for the finals and both can relax a bit.

Their H2H record is 3-2 to Woodhouse and he won their only match in 2024 6-5 in Euro Tour 7. Of their five previous matches, four have required a deciding leg. Another close match would be no surprise.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: 1 point over 9.5 legs @ 2.00 with Hills

Jose de Sousa vs. Max Hopp

Both players are in steep decline. Hopp now plays on the Challenge Tour, averaging 86.3, while De Sosa has a win rate of just 42%, averaging 90.7.

De Sousa is the 1.53 favourite, Hopp 2.75.

I have watched Jose in Europe this season and he has been poor, he just has no confidence and is losing matches which he should have won. He has played seven first round matches and won just one.

In the earlier Euro Tour events he was scoring well but losing. More recently he has struggled more with his scoring, but only twice averaging below 95. He just can’t get across the line. However, he should be favourite to win this, but I couldn’t back him with stolen money. No bet.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: No bet

Raymond van Barneveld vs. Dom Taylor

These two played each other just last week, with Taylor winning 6-2. Barney has lost six of his last ten matches, but he hit four ton plus averages, so his game is in decent shape.

Taylor has won six of his last ten and he has a good A game. He lacks the consistency of a player like RVB and he is still learning the ropes. He has played in three Euro Tour events and won his first round match each time, and scored very well. His first round averages have been 100, 102 and 97.

The bookies have Barney as the 1.80 favourite, Taylor 2.10. I was hoping for a bit more for Taylor and while I fancy him to win, Barney is no mug. No bet.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: No Bet

Peter Wright vs. Niko Springer

This is the one I am looking forward to. Peter Wright actually played some good darts in the two World Series events down under. He reached the semi-final of the Australian Darts Masters, beating Whitlock and Cross.

He took Price to a deciding leg in the semi-final. In New Zealand he averaged 103 in a 6-4 win over Price, before losing the semi-final 4-7 to Heta, but he averaged 97. All very encouraging. He then played in the Players Championship events last week, played three matches, lost two and all three saw sub 90 averages. Jet lag…or back to reality?

Niko Springer is another hot young German player who we don’t get to see much of. I suspect he is finishing his education before trying darts at the higher levels. He plays on the development tour where he is second in the OOM, winning three titles. He has won twenty two of his last twenty four matches at development tour level, he has been hitting ton plus averages and he looks a decent prospect.

Wright is in the provisional list of qualifiers for the finals, but another win or two may be needed.

Wright is the 1.57 favourite but I will take a chance on Springer at 2.60.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: 1 point Niko Springer to win @ 2.60 with Livescorebet

Mensur Suljovic vs. Dimitri van den Bergh

Suljovic has been showing some better form of late, winning six of his last ten matches, including a 6-3 win over Van den Bergh last week. The Belgian had been Down Under on World Series duties and may have been feeling a bit jet lagged for that match. He only averaged 86.28, but he had won three matches before that, including a 6-3 win over Chizzy, averaging 99.6.

Van den Bergh has been playing quite well, winning six of his last ten and hitting some big averages. Jet lag won’t be a problem tonight and I expect Dimitri to reverse last week’s match. Their H2H record is 7-5 to Dimitri and in their last four best of eleven leg matches, all have been under 9.5 legs with Dimitri winning three, 6-2 and 6-1.

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: 1 point under 9.5 legs @ 1.74 with Livescorebet

2024 German Darts Championship R1 Tip: 1 point Van den Bergh to win -1.5 legs @ 1.73 with Ladbrokes, Betfred, Boylesports

With the clash with the Italian GP this weekend, I will not be covering every session, but hopefully there will be more selections for tomorrow evenings session.

-JamesPunt